Arctic

Spanning 14.52 million square kilometers ( 5.61 square miles) as of March 24, 2015's winter maximum was reached 12 days later than the average from 1981-2010. A late season surge is still possible, the National Snow & Ice Data Center noted, adding that it will post a detailed analysis of Arctic winter sea ice conditions in late April.

EarthTalk® is a weekly environmental column made available to our readers from the editors of E/The Environmental Magazine Dear EarthTalk: Why is the Arctic such a crucial area to focus on in efforts to stem global warming?  – Joseph Constabile, Dedham, MA The image of a polar bear standing on a shrinking iceberg has become one of the most iconic symbols of global warming, yet …

New Arctic Ocean data adds to evidence linking rising CO2 levels to climate warming, which is occurring faster than it has since long before the Age of the Dinosaurs. A team of 40 researchers is gathering Arctic Ocean data before the region as we know it ceases to exist as the global average concentration of atmospheric CO2 surpassed 400 ppm.

A first-of-a-kind study indicates microbial action on thawing Arctic permafrost can result in rapid increases in atmospheric CO2. Extending across northern Eurasia and Alaska, the equivalent of more than twice as much CO2 is stored in Arctic permafrost as is present in the atmosphere, highlighting the risk and threats posed by a warming climate.

While the laudable efforts of activists have been given credit for ending Arctic drilling, environmentalists could benefit from a better understanding of the dynamics at play. Attributing Shell’s decision to cease its drilling operations in the Arctic to environmental protest is an undeniably compelling narrative. If only a handful of passionate kayaktavists could stop Shell from drilling in the Arctic. The problem is that it is not true. It is clear that there …

The front line of climate change and the politics of a warming Arctic – It was just a little over 100 years ago that Robert Peary’s expedition first reached the north pole – or at least very close. In 1991 eight “arctic nations” signed the Arctic Environmental Protection Strategy (AEPS), including Canada, the United States, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, and Russia (at the time …

Arctic warming and sea ice loss is reducing ocean-atmosphere heat exchange and the flow of ocean waters that fuel the Gulf Stream and Atlantic Meridional Overtuning Circulation, according to groundbreaking new oceanographic climate research. That raises the prospect of a much colder Europe,